AT&T LG G5 Unboxing and First Impressions

The LG G5 for AT&T has arrived in the NJTechReviews office today! I just finished unboxing it and have had a few hours to play around with it. This device is coming a little late to the party, but is now the only flagship on the market with a removable battery. Of course the bigger claim to fame here is of course the modular build, which after a few minutes, doesn’t really bring anything ground breaking to the smartphone. This becomes especially clear, when you realize the accessories aren’t quite here yet.

The launch seemed a little delayed from the get go, but the LG G5 is officially here. On AT&T it officially launched on April 1st 2016, with pre-orders beginning a little bit before then. In the box you get a SIM popper, a USB-C cable, and a fast charger wall plug. Unfortunately, LG has not included ear buds with the G5, like Samsung did with the S7 and S7 Edge.

The display is sharp, but it is not as vibrant as the one on the S7 and S7 Edge. LG opted for a 5.3-inch Quad HD 3D Arc Display, but it does do pretty well. The design is unique as it has a ridge going around the screen of the device and this does take some time to get used too. You also have a bit of a chin on the bottom of the device, but this due to the modular nature of the device.

Speaking of which, it is not the smoothest experience when pulling the battery out. There is button on the bottom left hand side that you have to push in and then using some force, you can pull the bottom out. I have not been able to successfully get the battery out of the bottom piece, but I can get it out of the device itself. It is not the smoothest thing in the world, but it certainly does qualify the device as modular, if only a little.

The camera is probably the best thing going for this device, as you get an 8 megapixel and 16 megapixel lens on the back. The 8 megapixel lens has a 135-degree view, which lets you capture a lot more in one image. The camera application is also quite nice, giving you a few options to customize your photos with. Thankfully LG does not overload you with different modes, like Samsung has done in the past, although they did get better with the S7 and S7 Edge.

These are just my first thoughts on the LG G5 for AT&T, as I have only had the device for a few hours. But it seems to be an interesting device that is definitely taking the most risks out any flagship in 2016 so far. Check out my unboxing and first impressions video below, and stay tuned for a full review coming soon!

Jacob Krol is the founder, CEO, and editor in chief of NJTechReviews. He created the site in 2010 and most recently gave it a big redesign in 2014. Jacob is a sophomore at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. He has a big love for all things tech, he’s a huge Springsteen fan, and he is also a native New Jerseyan.